


In the Cards

by Ruis



Category: Original Work
Genre: Card Games, Fantasy, M/M, Trickster God/Human Trickster - Freeform, Trickster Gods, Tricksters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:08:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23353693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruis/pseuds/Ruis
Summary: A game of cards.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8
Collections: It's All in the Name (Take #1)





	In the Cards

Almost unnoticed by anyone but Beyn, the traveler opened the door to the crowded tavern and stepped inside, the hem of his cloak damp with evening fog. He must have taken the road over the fen, Beyn thought. He had only watched the new arrival from the corner of his eye because he always observed the room: old habits die hard. To his surprise, however, he actually recognized the traveler from his last visit to this town. Beyn laughed delightedly when the stranger – he had never quite caught his name; too bad, but maybe they would rectify that tonight – greeted him with a nod, no smile but sparkling eyes, and made to walk over to the corner table Beyn had to himself. 

Beyn gestured in the vague direction of the barkeeper, holding up two fingers: he knew that in this traditional tavern his wordless order of two mugs of ale would be understood. From his pocket, he fished out a worn deck of cards and laid it on the table with a thud: an invitation. To the casual observer, he looked entirely careless and relaxed, just a man meeting with an old acquaintance. He was anything but. It was worrying how fast the traveler had recognized him when Beyn had made some effort to change his appearance from last time: different hair color, different style of clothing, even a different body language, not that he really thought anyone in this place would notice... Except, evidently, this traveler. This man was dangerous. That was okay: Beyn liked dangerous.

Again, they did not need words. The game was on after the traveler had shuffled the deck – Beyn had not objected to this; he trusted himself to notice if the other man used one of the tricks he himself had perfected – and asked the barmaid delivering their ale to cut. If the barmaid was in league with his opponent, she hid it well. Still, something was up: the last time they had played, Beyn had lost every single time. And he prided himself on his professional skills. Losing against someone who to all appearances wasn’t cheating was simply inacceptable. 

A few mugs of ale and a few heated battles later, Beyn had still not won even a single game. Still: he had to admit to himself he was having fun. And he would have even more fun when he – finally – could prove how the traveler, whose name he still had not quite caught, was manipulating the game in his favor. He frowned at the card currently open on the table. The Nine of Acorns? He could have sworn that one had already been played early in this game. It should be in his pile of tricks... But wasn’t. Now that was surprising: he never looked away from that. Never. He had been looking at his opponent quite a lot, but still... He could not believe he had been quite as distracted as that.

No matter. The game was not over yet... Except it was. Beyn’s Queen of Acorns did not count enough points, and technically Beyn knew it. His opponent knew it too, judging from his expression. Before Beyn could even resign in the traditional way – by throwing his remaining cards on the table and ordering more ale for both players – the stranger spoke for the first time that night. “Do not discount the Queen”, he said with a slight smile. “Winnings and wealth are coming your way. Your Queen of Acorns presides over gain, fertility and growth”.

That was a good joke if Beyn had ever heard one. He looked at the woefully low pile of his cards and frowned. “Yeah, right”. Did his opponent actually believe in that stuff? Beyn was a professional gambler, not a fortune-teller, and he did not take card reading seriously. Still, it would not do to be rude to a man who was good company even while outrageously winning without any apparent reason. “No winnings tonight, I guess”.

“Are you sure?” his opponent asked with laughter in his eyes. “Remember, not all winnings are made with cards”. He laid his remaining cards on the table. To his surprise, Beyn saw the images shifting, realigning, telling fates to anyone reading – Beyn didn’t; he consciously had to remind himself that cards were a way to earn money, nothing more and nothing less – and he realized he had never stood a chance. Still, seeing that laughter, that smile... Beyn held out his hand. He had won.


End file.
